Action doll or like figurine



y 1963 M. SCOPARINO 3,090,156

ACTION nou. 0R LIKE FIGURINE Filed Nov. '7, 1962 FIG. 1 Z! 34 Z4 FIG. 3

INVENTOK MZC/l/OE $(0P4e/A/ 3,095,156 Patented May 21, 1963 3,090,156 ACTHON DOLL R LIKE FIGURINE Melchior Scoparino, New York, N.Y. (8755 Dundon St., Hollis, N.Y.) Filed Nov. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 235,959 6 Claims. (Cl. 46118) The present invention relates to a doll or like figurine, and especially to a hard, or rigid bodied doll or figurine, and particularly to a rigid-body action doll or figurine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a doll or figurine of the character described, capable of performing two successive, different and separate visible or audible actions which may be effected by a single action or movement on the part of a child playing with it.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a doll or figurine, of the character described, wherein such successive action may take place along diiferent parts of the body thereof of the doll or figurine.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a doll or figurine of the character described, whose manipulation to induce the successive actions is sufiiciently simple and easy to be performed even by a very young child.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a doll or figurine, of the character described, in which at least one of the actions performed by the doll may be selectively varied.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a doll or figurine, of the character described, whose action-effecting mechanism is of simple construction and character and simple and easy to assemble with its body, to thereby render the doll or figurine relatively simple and economical to produce.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a doll or figurine, of the character described, having an operating mechanism for the purposes described and which is unobtrusive on the dolls exterior and may be readily concealed by the dolls clothing so that it will not alter or detract from its appearance.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the doll or figurine of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings and from the description following. It is understood, however, that such embodiment is shown by Way of illustration only, to make the principles and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible, and without any intent of limiting the invention to the specific details therein shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional and partly elevational view through the torso and head of a doll embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the back of a dolls torso, showing the action producing mechanism installation; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

Generally stated the present invention utilizes, for producing the action of the doll, an air cylinder and piston arrangement having air outlet means at each end, in which the piston is moved manually to expel air from one end, to bring about one air-pressure induced action, and is moved automatically toward its other end to produce a second air-pressure induced action at its other end.

Referring more specifically to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the same is shown to comprise a dolls torso 10, preferably molded of a rigid, synthetic plastic material, having set thereon at one end, a rigid, molded, plastic head 12, having facial and other conventional features, including a mouth formed with a preferably rounded opening 14. The torso 10 is formed with an opening 16, which may be formed in any part thereof; but, preferably, in its back, as illustrated, through which is inserted an air pump cylinder 18, which is closed at both ends as by its inner wall 20 and its outer end Wall 22.

While the air-pump cylinder may be formed of any suitable material, it is preferable for economy and ease of manufacture, to mold the same of a suitable synthetic plastic material, and its outer end wall 22 may be formed with a flange 24, by which it may be cemented to the marginal edge of the opening 16, preferably on the exterior of the torso. For economy of space, and to avoid undue projections on the doll torso, the outer end wall 22 of the air cylinder 18 may be formed with an inwardly-extending, central depression or recess 26, at the center of which may .be provided an opening 28, through which extends a piston rod 30, connected to a piston 32, on the interior of the cylinder 10. The piston 32 may be formed with an annular groove 34, in which may be disposed a piston ring 36, of suitable material, that will form a slidable but relatively airtight contact with the inner wall of the cylinder 10.

The piston 32 may be formed with a boss 38 on its inner surface facing a boss 40 of the inner surface of the inner end wall 20 of the cylinder; the two bosses 38 and 40 serving to anchor the ends of an expansion spring 4-2 that will normally maintain the piston 32 against the inner face of the outer cylinder end wall .22.

The outer end wall 22, of the cylinder 18, may be formed with a passageway 44 extending therethrough connecting the interior of the cylinder 10 with the exterior, the outer end of which passageway is capable of receiving, and frictionally and preferably removably holding an action device responsive to air pressure, preferably in the form of a sound producing device, designated as 46, which may be of the vibrating type or a whistle t e.

The inner end Wall 20 of the cylinder is provided with a central opening 48 therethrough connecting the cylinder interior with the interior of the torso. The opening 48 may preferably be defined on the outer surface of the Wall 20 with a nozzle 50, that may be fitted thereinto or cemented around it, as illustrated. If desired, an air check valve 52 may be formed in the end wall 20 for checking of air intake into the cylinder therethrough. An air outlet passageway 54 is formed in the end wall 20, and is provided with air check valve 50 to inhibit air escape therethrough.

While the air passage 48 and its nozzle 50 may be utilized directly for mounting of a second air-pressureresponsive, action device, such as a sound producing device, it is preferred to have the second action producing device disposed in a position where it will be visible from the doll exterior. To that end there is connected to the nozzle 50 an end of an air conduit tube 57 whose other end is extended into the doll head 10 and its mouth opening 14. The other end of such tube end may be inserted and cemented directly in such mouth opening or connected to the inwardly projecting portion of a suitable eyelet type nozzle that may be inserted through the mouth in tightly fitting relation, in a manner that will be readily understood.

The second action device may be inserted into the end of tube 56 within the mouth opening 14 or into or over the end of the eyelet nozzle, if such is used, to be held therein by friction fit, preferably removably. Any suitable type of device may be used as the second action device. Thus, it may comprise a sound producing device as of the vibratory or whistling type, or a soap bubble pipe or an inflatable balloon 58, as illustrated, which is secured over a rigid stern portion 60 that is inserted within the mouth opening 14.

Having thus described the structure of the doll of the invention, its operation will now become clear. After the action device, such as the balloon 58 is inserted, by its stem into the mouth opening 14, the child may press the piston rod 31 inwardly into the cylinder 10, which may be done through the dolls clothing. This action compresses spring '42 and expels the air from the cylinder through the nozzle 50 and the tube 57 into the action device such as the balloon 58, to inflate the latter. Upon release of the piston rod 30 by the child, the piston 32 will be pushed outwardly in the cylinder by the spring 4.2 to expel air through the passage 44 and to the sounding device 46 inserted therein, to produce sound. Where a balloon is used-as the action device held in the dolls mouth, the check valve 52 will prevent return flow of air from the balloon, and the balloon will remain inflated to the extent of the amount of air pumped thereinto by the first pumping action, so that succeeding pumping actions will increase its inflation to any extent desired. Deflation of the balloon may be effected merely by the removal of its stem from the dolls mouth. it will be apparent that check valve 56 will prevent escape of air from the inner end of the cylinder through any place but the passageway 48, but upon release of the piston rod 343 will serve to admit air into such inner end of the cylinder, to permit return of the piston to normal position by the action of spring 42, against the inner end of wall 22. On the manual stroke of the piston, since the action device 46 consists of the sound producing member which generally permits flow of air therethrough, air will be admitted into the cylinder through such sounding device, as well as around the piston. However, it necessary, a check valve similar to valve 56, may be installed in wall 22.

It may be here stated that in practice a doll of the present invention may be supplied by the manufacturer or distributor thereof with more than one action device for use in either opening 44 or opening 14, especially the latter. Thus there may be packaged with the doll one or more tubular stems to which a balloon may be attached, one or more whistles or vibratory sound producing devices and a soap bubble pipe or other soap bubble making device.

This completes the description of the doll of the present invention. It will be readily apparent that such a doll will have a sustained interest and attraction for children because of the variety of actions the doll is capable of performing. It will also be apparent that the action mechanism of the doll of the present invention is strong, sturdy and durable as well as simple and easy to manipulate, even by a child..

It will be further apparent that numerous modifications and variations in the doll or figurine of the present invention may be made by anyone skilled in the art in accord- :ance with the principles of the invention hereinabove set forth and Without the exercise of any inventive ingenuity. I desire, therefore, to be protected for any and all such modifications and variations that may be made within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. A toy figurine, comprising a hollow body section, including a rigid-walled torso and a head, said body section having an opening formed in a wall portion thereof, an air pump within said body section, said air pump comprising an air cylinder having end walls and a piston reciprocable between said end walls, one of said 4 end Walls having an opening formed therethrough, a piston rod connected to said piston and extending through said end wall opening, an expansion spring interposed between said piston and the other of said end walls, said air pump secured within said body section with said piston rod in register with said body wall opening for manual engagement therethrough, said one end wall having an air passage formed therein extending to the exterior of said body section and an air-pressure responsive sound producing device secured within said air passage; the other of said end walls having air outlet means and air inlet means provided therein, a check valve associated with said air outlet means to inhibit air inlet therethrough, a check valve provided in said air inlet means to inhibit air outlet therethrough; a second opening formed in another wall portion of said body section, an air-pressure responsive toy action device secured in said second opening, and an air conduit connecting said second opening with said air outlet means.

2. The toy figurine of claim 1, wherein said air pump cylinder extends through said first wall portion opening and said one end wall is provided with a flange section overlapping and secured to the marginal edge portion of said first wall portion opening.

3. The toy figurine of claim 1, wherein said air passage through said one end wall extends to the exterior of said body section through a wall portion of said torso portion thereof and said second wall portion opening is formed in said head. i

4. The toy figurine of claim 1, wherein said head is formed with a mouth portion and said second opening is formed through said mouth portion.

5 The toy figurine of claim 4, wherein said air-pressure responsive toy action device secured within said second opening comprises a tubular stem secured within said second opening and an inflatable balloon secured on said stem, and wherein said air check valve associated with said air outlet means is disposed between said balloon and said air pump cylinder.

6. A toy figurine, comprising a hollow body section, including a rigid-Walled torso and a head, said body section having an opening formed in a wall portion thereof, an air pump within said body section, said air pump comprising an air cylinder having end walls and a piston reciprocable between said end walls, one of said end walls having an opening formed therethrough, a piston rod connected to said piston and extending through said end wall opening, an expansion spring interposed between said piston and the other of said end walls, said air pump secured within said body section with said piston rod in register with said wall opening for manual engagement therethrough, said one end wall having an air passage formed therein extending to the exterior of said torso and an air-pressure responsive sound producing device secured within said air passage; the other of said end walls having air outlet means and air inlet means, a check valve provided in said air inlet means to inhibit air outlet therethrough, a second opening formed in another wall portion of said body section, an air-passage responsive toy action device secured within said second opening, and an air conduit connecting said second opening 'with said air outlet means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,098,303 Steiner et a1 May 26, 1914 1,420,587 Sunden June 20, 1922 1,547,354 Baum July 28, 1925 1,998,082 Grubrnan Apr. 16, 1935 2,022,643 Hueber et a1 Nov. 26, 1935 

6. A TOY FIGURINE, COMPRISING A HOLLOW BODY SECTION, INCLUDING A RIGID-WALLED TORSO AND A HEAD, SAID BODY SECTION HAVING AN OPENING FORMED IN A WALL PORTION THEREOF, AN AIR PUMP WITHIN SAID BODY SECTION, SAID AIR PUMP COMPRISING AN AIR CYLINDER HAVING END WALLS AND A PISTON RECIPROCABLE BETWEEN SAID END WALLS, ONE OF SAID END WALLS HAVING AN OPENING FORMED THERETHROUGH, A PISTON ROD CONNECTED TO SAID PISTON AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID END WALL OPENING, AN EXPANSION SPRING INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID PISTON AND THE OTHER OF SAID END WALLS, SAID AIR PUMP SECURED WITHIN SAID BODY SECTION WITH SAID PISTON ROD IN REGISTER WITH SAID WALL OPENING FOR MANUAL ENGAGEMENT 